Deported Venezuelans Missing After Earthquakes Strike Hours Later

In a tragic turn of events, more than 100 Venezuelans deported from the United States are currently missing following a series of earthquakes that struck Venezuela just hours after their arrival. The deportees were on a flight from Miami that landed in Caracas shortly before the earthquakes, which registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

According to reports, the deportees were taken to Hotel Santuario La Llanada for processing, where they underwent medical examinations and received identification documents. Among the 146 deportees were 19 women and seven children, as tracked by the ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative that monitors deportation flights.

Survivors of the earthquake, including Lisbeth Portillo, 58, recounted harrowing experiences as they escaped the rubble of the hotel. Portillo, who was staying on the second floor, described being shaken awake by the tremors and witnessing chaos as fellow deportees screamed for help. She managed to escape despite being trapped under debris, sustaining multiple bruises in the process.

Another deportee, Jenny Rodriguez, shared her ordeal of being trapped under the rubble and relying on a fellow deportee for rescue. The Venezuelan government has reported that over 1,700 people were killed in the earthquakes, intensifying the urgency to locate the missing deportees.

Portillo, who had previously lived in South Florida and had a pending asylum claim, expressed her relief at surviving the disaster. After managing to contact her husband in the U.S., she was eventually reunited with her family.

As the search for survivors continues, families of the missing deportees are left in anguish, seeking answers about their loved ones. Liliana Rojas, whose partner was also deported, reported that authorities have provided little information regarding his whereabouts.

The situation remains dire as the Venezuelan government and humanitarian organizations scramble to respond to the aftermath of the earthquakes while addressing the plight of the deportees.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).